New School Color at Hiatt is Green

On beautiful schooldays in the fall and spring students and teachers alike in this part of the country often wish they could hold class outdoors. Dream on.

Well, that’s just what Hiatt Middle School principal Deb Chapman did.

Outside of the cafeteria windows at Hiatt lay a pretty but idle grassy courtyard over which loomed a majestic pine tree. Chapman would pass by it day in and day out. She got to brainstorming about turning it into a green classroom space.

Activities Coordinator Jacob Burke liked the idea. So did other staff members who were brought into the discussion. There’s a chapter of the Boys & Girls Club at Hiatt and that organization pledged some funding toward the conversion project. Private donors signed on. Chapman scrounged some dollars from discretionary building accounts. By the time school let out for the summer last June there was enough money to purchase lumber and other materials. But who would put them together and provide the rest of the sweat equity to make the vision a reality in time for the 2016-17 school year?
Chapman and Burke were willing, if not experienced. Science teacher Jeff Burns raised his hand to help out. So they spent some of the hottest days of the summer digging and plowing and assembling and painting and planting. By the time school reopened last week the three wishkateers could have been excused if they were longing for good old fashioned indoor classes. But Hiatt students and teachers were excited to note that something new had definitely been added while they were away. Nobody wants to miss class in the grass.

“We are so pleased to have this available for our staff and students,” Chapman said recently from the comfort of her office. “And also very grateful to everybody who’s helped make it possible.”

Wednesday morning Special Education teachers Krista Womble and Anne Vanderheiden and their students were using the new “lab” and the school’s community garden across the street for their unit on ecosystems. It was an absolutely natural fit. Besides the Great Outdoors there are benches and tables and an elevated deck area that includes an all-weather whiteboard.

Womble has been a DMPS teacher for 31 years and welcomes the new instructional setting.

“There’s nothing like getting outside and literally getting your hands dirty while you’re learning,” she said. “These kids love it and besides our classroom time out here this group is assigned to help with the maintenance of the space on a regular basis as a life skills lesson.”

Any teacher at Hiatt may use the new addition but they have to reserve it in advance like office types do with conference rooms. And now that it’s a reality all sorts of suggestions are popping up about ways to use it outside of regular class time.

“We have an Open Mic Club here,” said Burke, “and it might be perfect for that on occasion.” Lights could be strung for evening events and the Boys & Girls Club will certainly capitalize on their investment for different afterschool activities. The possibilities are limitless. Alas, comfortable fall and spring weather conditions are not. Wintertime figures to be wide open for teachers wanting to make reservations. Consult your Farmer’s Almanac and book now for a unit on the myth of the January thaw.